Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith celebrates its 20th Anniversary next month, making this a great time to relive the best parts of this movie. Revenge of the Sith is known for its brilliant space battles, spectacularly choreographed duels, memorable dialogue, and tragic ending. Episode III also contains many poignant scenes that foreshadow twists in the original trilogy.
Here are 6 moments from Revenge of the Sith that foreshadow the original trilogy:
1. The Twin Suns
The final hour of Revenge of the Sith is absolutely brutal, so it doesn't give the audience much to be positive about. In the movie's final minutes, we get our first whiff of fresh air when Leia arrives on Alderaan, followed by Luke's arrival on Tatooine. With Luke in their arms, Owen Lars and Beru Lars watch the Twin Suns set, which allows the movie to end on a hopeful note.
While the sun may have set on the Jedi Order and Republic, Anakin and Padme's twins symbolize the hope that will rise when the time is right. The twin suns here foreshadow the Empire's eventual fall because nothing, not even defeat, is permanent.
2. "His fate will be the same as ours."
When Anakin tries to save his unconscious Master, Palpatine forces him to leave Kenobi behind. To this, Anakin replies, "His fate will be the same as ours."
No truer words were ever spoken by Anakin in the trilogy. This line of dialogue foreshadowed the fate of three major prequel trilogy characters in the original trilogy. It would prove to be true years later, as Anakin, Palpatine, and Obi-Wan would all perish on the Death Star.
3. Anakin confronts Palpatine
Anakin's confrontation with Palpatine foreshadows Vader and Luke's confrontation in The Empire Strikes Back. After Palpatine tells Anakin, "Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the dark side of the force, and you will be able to save your wife from certain death." A visibly shaken Anakin rebuffs the Sith Lord's attempts to push him towards the dark side.
While Palpatine claims Padme's death is a certainty, Vader tells his son, "Luke, you can destroy the Emperor. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son." Palpatine uses Anakin's love for Padme to tempt him, and Vader uses Luke's love for his father. In both scenes, the Sith promises limitless potential of the dark side.
Even though these scenes take place years apart, Anakin and Luke both face nearly the same dilemma.
4. The construction of the Death Star
The end of Episode III includes a short scene that reveals the Death Star. The reveal foreshadows impending doom, as millions of lives will be taken by this weapon years later before Luke Skywalker destroys it during the Battle of Yavin.
Even though it's a short scene, it foreshadows the scale of the Empire's power and the havoc the Death Star will unleash over the next three decades. In this scene, Vader is unaware of his children's existence and has no clue that the Death Star's fate is linked to their heroics.
5. Anakin's conflict
During Mace Windu's duel with Darth Sidious, Anakin faces a fateful choice between his Jedi values and his wife. Having discovered that Palpatine is a Sith Lord, Mace Windu wants to arrest the Chancellor before Anakin arrives. Even when he watches Palpatine unleash a Force lightning attack, Anakin is conflicted between the power to save Padme and helping Mace Windu eliminate a dangerous Sith Lord.
The choice between Palpatine and Mace Windu foreshadows the end of Return of the Jedi when Vader looks just as torn watching Palpatine torture Luke Skywalker. Choosing Palpatine led Anakin to the dark side, but choosing his son years later brought him back to the light.
George Lucas created a parallel between both scenes while foreshadowing Anakin's eventual fate. He was always meant to return, even if it meant spending decades as a Sith Lord himself.
6. Light v. Dark in Obi-Wan and Anakin's final conversation
When Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi stood on the same side for the last time, several visual cues foreshadowed their future paths. After admitting his ungrateful and arrogant behavior towards his Master, Anakin apologizes, and Kenobi assures him that it's only a matter of time until the Jedi Council grants him the rank of Master.
The best friends say goodbye, and Obi-Wan is shown walking towards the light while Anakin stands in the shadow. These visual cues serve as subtle hints that their future paths have now diverged forever while foreshadowing the rivalry between Darth Vader and Kenobi in the original trilogy.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is streaming on Disney+.